Only one NFL quarterback since 1954 has bested Sam Darnold in this stat

All eyes are on Sam Darnold as the Seattle Seahawks prepare for their toughest test yet this season, visiting Matt Stafford and the rival Los Angeles Rams.

Darnold has obliterated even the most rosy expectations Seattle fans could have had coming into this year - and he's elevated himself into the league MVP conversation. A win today would all but guarantee he'll at least get a few votes.

It is fair to point out that Darnold struggled in his last start against the Rams which came in the playoffs last season for the Minnesota Vikings. However, even if he bombs today it won't erase the exceptional work he's put on film so far this year.

How good has he been? Darnold's 9.9 yards per pass attempt are the best for any NFL quarterback since Kurt Warner was leading the Greatest Show on Turf Rams back in 2000. Before that you'd have to go all the way back to the 1950s to find another QB who finished in this territory for YPA.

Sam Darnold is averaging 9.9 yards per attempt this season, most in the NFL and the 4th-highest mark through nine games in NFL history (min 200 attempts).

The only QBs ahead of him:
• 1953 Otto Graham (10.3)
• 1954 Norm Van Brocklin (10.1)
• 2000 Kurt Warner (10.0) pic.twitter.com/HuOQYymYDJ
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) November 14, 2025

A genuinely insane stat considering how tough and complex modern NFL defenses are. It's probably also worth mentioning that Kurt Warner, Norm Van Brocklin and Otto Graham all wound up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Obviously it's far too early to for Darnold to get into that conversation - especially given how poorly his pro career started with the Jets.

That said, if you're still clinging to any takes about Darnold from that time in his career you're simply not paying attention. Darnold has grown his game and elevated his level of play by several tiers since then, and there may be less than a handful of quarterbacks who are better than he is now.

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